Make a heart-shaped cake

You will need: 
1 square baking tin 
1 round baking tin
Red or pink food colouring 

Bake the cakes according to the recipe. 

Once the cakes have cooled down, remove them from the cake pans. Allow the cakes to cool for a further 20 - 30 minutes. Once the round cake is completely cooled slice it in half. These two halves will form the top of the heart. 

Place the cakes on a large tray. Lay the square cake on the diagonal and place the two circular halves at the top left and top right of the square cake. Voila! The heart shape is formed. 

Time to ice the cake, the best part! The first layer of buttercream icing is often called the "crumb coat" This layer is applied to seal in any wayward crumbs and help smooth the surface of the cake. For this heart-shaped cake, the "crumb coat" is important because it will hide the dividing lines between the circular halves and the square cakes. 

Once the "crumb coat" is applied, set the cake in the fridge for 20 minutes to allow the icing to set. Once it's set, remove the cake from the fridge and apply the final layer of icing. We've applied our final layer of icing in wisps, which gives the finished cake a beautiful homemade feel. But if you'd prefer a smoother finish, use a cake scraper or palette knife to apply the final layer.  

We've relied on a stylishly seasonal approach to decorating the cake: simply top it with fresh raspberries. The tartness of the raspberries will cut through the richness of the buttercream beautifully. And for the final touch, lightly dust the finished cake with icing sugar and enjoy by the forkful!